Tag: Spring Fashion

I love a good cold shoulder top. And this floral embroidered number is my current favorite. Plus I love that it has bell sleeves too. Definitely fun to have two trends in one without feeling too over the top.

I am wearing four of my favorite trends for Spring and Summer in today’s outfit post: destroyed denim, an off-the-shoulder top, platform sandals, and round sunglasses. And while I’ve been playing around with the first three trends for quite some time now, I just recently purchased my first pair of round sunglasses. And I have so say, I am LOVING them. In fact, I just ordered a second pair with a gradient lens, as opposed to mirrored and I can’t for them to get here. I’d also love to know, what are some of your favorite trends for this season?

I can’t believe a year has come and gone since I shared this post with you all. And here I am, celebrating another trip around the sun. If I’m being fully honest, this has not been a birthday I have been looking forward to celebrating. In fact, I had planned on skipping it all together. And while I’m not quite ready to share my full story with you all here on the blog, I did want to dedicate today’s post to sharing what I’ve learned as I’ve walked through adversity.

This past year was the hardest year of my life. It was filled with grief and loss, hurt and betrayal, a lot of difficult changes, and a violent car accident, that 4 months later, has left me with lingering health issues. BUT as hard as this past year was, it was also one of the most amazing and fruitful years of my life. I developed some of the richest friendships I’ve ever had, I was able to spend an exponential amount of time with my family and my niece, I accepted a new job that was created specifically for me, and I bought a new home that I love. I also learned a lot of about myself, what it looks like to persevere, and most importantly, deepened my relationship with Jesus. So with that, here are the lessons I’ve learned that helped to carry me through the difficult days. And my hope in sharing this, is that it will help some of you:

Be gentle with yourself. When you are walking through something difficult, it’s ok that it feels hard, or even impossible. It’s ok to take the time you need to grieve. It’s ok if you can’t get out of bed. And it’s ok to really feel what you need to feel so that you can process it and move on.

Take care of you. I learned that I was really good at taking care of others, but not nearly as good at taking care of myself. And it’s been a fun process to discover what it means to put myself first.

Make appointments with your grief. This was hugely instrumental for me. Particularly as I was navigating everyday day life and a demanding career. I found that if I could set aside time to grieve, it helped me to hold things together when I needed to, and kept me moving forward in a healthy way.

Let others help you. This was one of the hardest lessons for me to learn. I love to do things for other people, but struggled to let other people do things for me. But once I was in my car accident and couldn’t take care of myself for a little while, I really had no choice. It felt vulnerable and scary at first, but it was also an incredible experience to let people in and let them love on me (Matthew 5:4).

Vulnerability is beautiful. It is so important to be vulnerable and share with the right people. Being totally transparent with my family and closest friends was not only freeing, but was also incredibly healing.

Make sure you are FULLY known by at least one other person in your life. One of my best friends says this a lot, and it is so true. Whether it is a spouse, a friend, a parent, make sure there is one person in your life who knows your FULLY. Darkness breeds darkness, and the enemy preys on isolation, so it’s important that we live fully in the light and are known.

Joy and sorrow can exist in the same space. While I had a lot of sorrow in my life this last year, it was also mixed with an abundance of joy. That felt confusing to me at first. But once I learned it was ok to feel both at the same time, it made it a lot easier to extend myself some grace and banish the guilt (John 16:20).

We are fully equipped to deal with what happens in our lives. I had heard a sermon about this once, and it really resonated with me. And as I look back on the last couple of years, and really on my entire life, I can see the plans that God was laying that would allow for me to be prepared, protected, and able to weather this storm. And even more importantly, come out stronger on the other side (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Lean in. We are stronger than we think we are if we lean into Jesus. If someone had told me ahead of time what would happen in my life, I don’t think I would have believed that I’d get through it. But I did. And I am a stronger and more compassionate person because of it. But that is not of my own doing. It is because I leaned in hard, dug deep into my faith, and trusted fully in His plan for me (Mark 10:27).

You won’t be in the valley forever. One day last summer, my brother and I were sitting in his kitchen, and he encouraged me not to miss out on any more of my life and what my future could be because I was too afraid to let go of the past and my own plans for my future. And in that moment, I realized that God was giving me the choice to leave the valley and start climbing my way back to the top of the mountain. That is the path I chose. And while some days it’s still incredibly hard and that loss still feels unbearable, as I embark on this 36th year of my life, I am finding myself in a wonderful, happy new season. I have been afforded a fresh start. I have a heart filled with gratitude. I have a life full of people who love and support me. And most importantly, I am enjoying the sweet moments of the present, and eagerly anticipating what is to come. Ever hopeful and believing in the plan that God has in store for my life (Jeremiah 29:11). So cheers to another year, and the adventure, love, and happy times to come…

Last week at my appointment with my Neurologist, we decided that because of the progress I’m making, we could move our appointments from once a month, to once every 3 months. And that I could start seeing my Neuropsychologist monthly instead of weekly. To me that’s exciting because it not only means that I’m starting to recover faster than they had initially anticipated, but also because I don’t have to go to the hospital nearly as often.

The other exciting thing, is that I was cleared to go back to the gym. While I still can’t ski or ride my bike, or play any type of impact sport, I did get the clear to try going back to Orange Theory. If you guys have been following me for a while, then you probably know that fitness is something that’s really important to me. I started doing Orange Theory about a year ago, and completely fell in love with it. In fact, at the time of my accident, I was in the best shape of my life. I was the leanest I’ve ever been, was running close to a 6 minute mile, and could do more push ups than anyone else I know. Ha! If you know me in real life, then this will probably make you laugh, because I am super laid back and have never been a serious athlete or particularly competitive. Sure, in high school I played varsity tennis and was a cheerleader, but I lettered more times in music than anything else. And that was my primary focus in college and into early adulthood too. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve really enjoyed pushing my limits, and learning what my body is capable of. Whether it’s a half marathon, back country ski-touring, a 130 mile road bike ride, or competing in the Orange Theory games, I’ve really tried to do as much as possible. In fact, for whatever reason, when it comes to the gym (and my career), I kind of like to go beast mode. In my own quiet/introverted way, of course.

So even though I was really excited to be cleared to go back, I was also nervous, because I didn’t know how my body, or my brain, would react. But I have to say, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Sure, my 6-pack is gone, I felt a little jiggly on the treadmill, and my running pace was much slower. BUT I didn’t get dizzy or nauseous, and I was able to participate the whole time. And while I realize I have a long way to go to get back to where I was, during that first class back, I was struck with an incredible gratitude that I still CAN get back to that place. Because with a little hard work and dedication, and a whole lot of grace, anything is possible. And as hard as this whole as mess has been, I am realizing more and more every day, just how lucky I am that I will be able to make a full recovery. God is so good, and I am so very thankful!

So now on to the rest of the post! I have been wanting to share these photos with you guys for forever, and with the accident, just didn’t get around to it. So in honor of my old house officially selling (and because I get so many requests for this kind of post), I thought I’d give y’all a little peek at the space where I used to live! Better late than never, right?

I am currently in the process of decorating my new house, and I can’t wait to share it with you guys. It is much more modern than my old one, so I am taking a different approach, which is definitely venturing into new territory for me. I also might have just ordered a GORGEOUS pink mid-century modern couch. And I am SO excited for it to arrive.

Hope you guys are having a great week. Thanks so much for stopping by!

If you guys have been following this blog for a while, then you definitely know I am a huge fan of long-sleeved dresses. And this Spring is no different. While I also always love wearing light jackets over dresses this time of year, sometimes it’s kind of nice to leave the extra layer at home. Plus, I’m always game for any kind of dress with a little twirl factor. And this one definitely fits the bill!

I tend to gravitate towards dresses. But the Grandstand skirt from the Cabi Spring line just might be my favorite thing in my closet right now. I seriously love everything about it. The fabric, the stripes, the pockets, the tie waist. It’s really an all-around perfect piece in my book. Plus it goes with so many different things, I know it’s going to be a go-to in my wardrobe this season.

I stalked this top online forever. But I just didn’t think I could pull off the balloon sleeves. Bell sleeves are one thing, but this exaggerated version is a whole different story. But I have to say, I am so glad I finally took the plunge. It’s such a fun piece to have in my wardrobe, and surprisingly goes with so many different things. Is this a trend you guys would ever try? I’d love to know!

It’s hard to believe it’s been exactly 3 months since my car accident. In some ways, it feels like 3 months of my life have been completely lost to the fog of this concussion, as I’ve battled severe sleep deprivation, fatigue, a newfound fear of driving, mild dizziness, vision issues, and a roller coaster of emotions on top of some already difficult life circumstances. I haven’t been able to partake in a lot of the things that I love, like skiing, biking, Orange Theory, hiking, going out with friends, or even shopping. And despite really disliking hospitals, I have found myself having to go to countless appointments with my neurologist, my neuropsychologist, and my balance and mobility therapist. Fortunately, I’ve been starting to see some pretty significant improvements over the last couple of weeks, and am beginning to feel more like myself. But looking at the last 3 months as whole, if I’m being honest, it’s been really, really hard. And some days I kind of just want to wallow in my own self pity. Ha!

I think I realized a few weeks ago that one thing I was really struggling with was the fact that someone else’s bad decision has had such a negative and lasting impact on my life. And I was feeling kind of angry about it. But then one morning I was sitting in my neuropsychologist’s office, and he asked me if I am the type of person who believes that bad things just happen, or if I believe that bad things (or good) happen for a reason. And for me there was no hesitation. As a Believer, I am definitely a person who believes the latter. While we can’t always see the bigger picture, his question put things into perspective and reminded me that Jesus is authoring the story of our lives. And in some way, shape or form, this accident is a part of my story. One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Romans 5:3-4: “suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character, hope”. I’ve seen friends recently walk this out so well and have admired them so much. And as I sat in that office that morning, I was overcome, because I realized that I too can persevere. So then and there, I made the decision to stop feeling sorry for myself and to commit to walking through the aftermath of my head injury in this way, with perseverance, character, and hope. Because while I can’t control the decisions and actions of others, I can control my own.

So here’s to a positive mindset, a grateful heart, continued improvement, and (what you probably really came here for), more outfit posts!! And a huge thank you to you all for all of your support. You guys really are the best.

I love a good duster cardigan. But at only 5’3″, I tend to shy away from them because they typically overwhelm me. Well thank goodness for Cabi. Because like everything else they make, the moment I put this sweater on, I couldn’t believe how flattering it was. Even on my short frame! And I especially love the placement of the stripes, which make it feel like a really fresh take on an old classic. A definite must-have for any wardrobe!

If you follow me over on Insta (@alldolledupblog), you might know how much I LOVE the bell sleeve trend. But I do have a confession. Every time I put one on, I can’t help but think of the Jerry Seinfeld episode with the pirate shirt. I’m probably totally aging myself here, but you guys know what I’m talking about, right? So I have to ask, does this trend make anyone else think of the same thing??? And more importantly, is this a trend that you guys are into this Spring? Leave a comment below-I’d love to know!